Department of Agriculture February 1, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will hold a public meeting on February 24, 2010, for interested stakeholders to discuss the issue of complex assembly products that contain biobased materials and components. Complex assembly products are made of distinct materials and components where some or all of the components contain biobased materials. One example of a complex assembly product is an office chair where the seat cushion, fabric, seat base and plastic molding are produced using biobased materials.

We are advising the public that we have received a request from the government of the Republic of Chile to recognize additional areas as pest-free areas for Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) in the Republic of Chile. After reviewing the documentation submitted in support of this request, the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that these areas meet the criteria in our regulations for recognition as pest-free areas. We are making that determination, as well as an evaluation document we have prepared in connection with this action, available for review and comment.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to California Seed & Plant Lab, Inc. of Elverta, California, an exclusive license to U.S. Patent No. 6,410,223, ``Direct Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay, or Bio-PCR'', issued on June 25, 2002.